Sangwoo X Yoonbum slice of life AU

Day 2 continued

I feel my world drop beneath me as Sangwoo takes in all of my body. His eyes wide in unspoken horror as he raises a hand to cover his mouth. "Holy shit, Bum. I thought mom was kidding."

I thought it couldn't get worse, that nothing could hurt more than the abuse from my uncle.

The beatings

His assault

Starvation

Bruises

Lacerations

After all that, I had never imagined a pain worse than that.

Not until I saw the look in my friend's eyes, his pupils having shrunk and his hands shaking.

I covered my eyes to hide my tears and so that I wouldn't have to look at my own disaster of a body. All the marks left on me as my uncle vented out his rage for my parents on my innocent body.

Along with the cuts I myself had left behind as my own escape from this hellish nightmare known as my life.

He was kind before, took me to games when I was a kid then they -

I let out a loud sob as I finally, after all these years, breakdown and let out every drop of pain I had bottled up in my frail bottle.

"Why? Why do I have to go through this?! Why must I suffer because a sad man's fantasy died?! Mom! Dad! Why?! WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!"

I fall to my knees as the tears flow freely, I mourn my parents and I cry from my abuse.

"Why does it have to be me?" I sob as I keep my eyes covered, too scared to remove them in fear that Uncle and Granny will be there. Too scared for this to be a nice dream, to be fake.

I keep sobbing till I start to hiccup and a hand I know all too well lays itself upon my frail and bony shoulder and I'm pulled close to a chest that I remember being so small that has now become big and tough and strong. Just like the little boy who I watched grow up.

His heartbeat calms me down and I find myself falling asleep again but this time I don't fight it.

I know I'm safe in these arms.

These arms and hands won't hurt me.

Won't abandon me.

I know the person who owns these hands and arms will always pull me back up again.

Always.